Grille structure for accordions



s FRANKLIN- 2,133,089

GRILLE STRUCTURE FOR ACCORDIONS File d May 16, 1938 Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to the removable cover, sometimes called the gallery, which extends over the valves of an accordion, and which generally includes a grille of ornamental design, adapted to permit the emanation of sound from the reeds which the valves control. The object of this invention is to provide an improved grille construction for such a cover member or gallery, designed to aiTord a pleasing ornamental appearance, to improve the tone quality of the instrument, to strengthen the grille structure and to permit of economical production. The invention consists in certain features and elements in combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an accordion gallery constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the under side of the gallery shown in Figure 1, a portion being broken away to condense the view.

Figure 3 is a detail section taken as indicated at line 33 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail section on a larger scale than Figure 3 for showing the means of attachment of the molding strips or bars which form the grille.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the under side of a fragment of one of the molding strips and the securing element therefor.

Figure 6 is an external face view of a portion of a gallery showing a modified arrangement of the molding strips. I

In most accordions, as manufactured today, the individual valves which controlthe reeds are enclosed by a cover or gallery whichis removably secured in place, and which is usually composed of fairly thin sheet material, such as celluloid, cut, and more or less molded to the desired shape. To permit the emanation of sound from the reeds as the various valves are opened, this cover is provided with openings which, in most instances, are arranged to form intricate ornamental patterns or designs. This requires that such openings be individually cut in the sheet material as by means of a scroll saw or fret saw, requiring that a considerable amount of time and skill be expended on each individual gallery. My invention involves a much simpler and more economical method of securing the desired result. The cover member, I, is composed of celluloid or like sheet material, but instead of an intricate design it is provided with a few large openings, 2, which may be, and are shown as, rectangular. Bars or molding strips, 3, are secured to the outer face of the member, I, extending across the openings, 2, so as to sub-divide them into a multiplicity of small openings or slots. This produces the desired reticulated structure through which the sound may escape from the reeds of the instrument, and at the same time lends itself to pleasing ornamental arrangements, of which that shown in Figure l is only one example.

For convenience and economy of assembly, the bars or strips, 3, may be made of sheet metal formed as open channels with their side walls, 4, 4, trending toward each other, as seen in Figure 4. Short sections, 5, of metal strap are attached to the outer surface of the part, I, adjacent the margins of the openings, 2, each such section being secured by a suitable fastener, such as a rivet, 6. These strap sections, 5, being spaced apart at the desired intervals, and arranged in alignment longitudinally of the gallery, I, define the positions at which the bars, 3, are to be applied. In each of these bars, 3, the distance between the side walls, 4, 4, is slightly less than the width of one of the strap sections, 5. The edges of the strap are slightly rounded, as seen in Figure 4, so that the channel strip, 3, may be forced onto the strap, the side walls, 4, 4, yielding slightly to admit the strap between them and then holding frictionally thereto with sufficient force to retain the bar firmly in position. Thus, after the strap sections, 5, have been applied to the celluloid cover member, I, in the proper positions, the assembly of the grille is substantially completed by merely pressing the bars, 3, into place over the strap sections, 5. If desired, a screen of suitable fabric, such as silk, may be applied to the inner surface of the gallery, I, to extend over the openings, 2, so that the valves and other mechanism shall not be directly visible; but this is a common expedient, and is not shown in the drawing.

The bars, 3, being made of sheet metal, may be plated and polished in any desired finish, which will afford a pleasing contrast with the surface of the sheet material composing the body por tion of the cover or gallery, I. The end portions of each channel bar, 3, may be specially formed so as to close the channel; as shown in the drawing, they are tapered and pointed as seen at I, but it may be understood that either a rounded formation or a substantially blunt end is equally feasible.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the bars are indicated as extending longitudinally of the gallery, I, but in Figure 6 I have shown a portion of a gallery, I0, having relatively long rectangular openings, 20,

the instrument to a considerable extent.

extending longitudinally therein with a series of comparatively short bars or molding strips, 30, crossing these openings, 20, in the direction of the shorter dimension of the gallery. It will be evident that various other arrangements may be employed to vary the design and ornamental appearance of the structure.

As compared with a single layer or sheet of celluloid into which a relatively intricate design is introduced by cutting out many small areas of various shapes, the present construction is not only simpler, but is much stronger and less likely to become damaged by accident or rough handling. The bars, 3, being of sheet metal, and of channel formation, are comparatively stifi for their weight, and serve to reinforce the light sheet material of the body, I, to which they are applied. Being of metal, they are unaffected by climatic changes, and will prevent any tendency of the celluloid portion of the gallery toward 7 W rp n It has been found that, :in use, a gallery of this :type tends to improve the tone quality of The metallic structure consisting of the bars, 3, permits the reeds to send out a clear ringing tone, whereas a grille ,or gallery of softer materials, such as celluloid and cloth, more commonly employed, tends to i-deaden or damp the musical tones. It is also possible that the hollow formation of the bars, 3, contributes in some degree to this effect.

It will beunderstood that some of the advan- ''-tages mentioned maybe secured if solid bars of 'Wall of the gallery by screws or bolts instead of ;by rivets, as shown in Figure 4. The side walls,

4, 9f thechannels, instead .of merely converging,

:may be bent so that their edges constitute flan es which may peclampedunder the heads of securing bolts or other fastening devices instead of relying uponrrictionalona as in the structure herein illustrated. But with any of these variations :a gallery constructed in accordance with my in- ;vention can be manufactured economically, and

without the employment of specially skilled op- ;erators, while, at the same time, it is adaptable jto-a wide range of ornamental designs of rich and pleasing appearance, and .more in accordance-with modern artistic trends than the elaborate grilles which have been heretofore emplayed I claim;

1. An accordion grille comprising a wall of sheet :material havin an opening, a plurality of metallic bars extending over the opening spaced from each other to form a plurality of smaller openings, and means securing said bars to the outer surface of the wall at points adjacent the margins of its opening.

2. An accordion grille comprising a wall of sheet material having an opening, and a plurality of metallic bars extending over the opening spaced from each other to form a plurality of smaller openings, said bars being of channelshape cross-section, and being mounted on the wall against the outer face thereof and opening inwardly.

3. An accordion grille comprising a wall of sheet material having an opening, a plurality of metallic channel bars extending over the opening and spaced from each other to form a plurality of smalleropenings, and projections on the outer face of the wall at points adjacent the margins of its opening and engaging in the channels of said 'ha-rs forsecuring them.

4. accordion grille comprising a wall of sheet-material having an opening, a plurality of metallic channel bars extending across the opening and .spaced from each other to form a pluralit-y of smaller openings, and a series of projections .on the :outer face of the Wall at points adjacent the margins of the opening, said channel bars .being resilient and sprung to embrace said projections for securement to the outer face across all the openings of the series and :in parallel relation to the other bars, said :bars being -spacedapart1to form a plurality of smaller openings, and means projecting from the outer surface of the wall at points adjacent the margins :of said openings engaging said bars and securing them :against .the -.outer face of the wall.

6. An accordion grille comprising a wall :of

,sheet celluloid -.or like material having one or more openings, a plurality of :metallic bars extending-over said openings :and spaced from each =othertoform a plurality of smaller openingswith ,means securing said bars rigidly-to the outer surfaceof the wall ;at points adjacent the margins .of the openings.

7. An accordion grille comprising a wall of sheet material having an opening, a plurality of tubular bar-s each slotted atone side to provide openings in said bars, said bars being arranged to extend-overftheopening in the wall inspaced relation from each other to form a plurality of smaller openings, and means extending from the outer faceof the wall and into the slots of said bars for securing them to the WaILxWhereby the securing means is concealed by the bars.

STEPHENS FRANKLIN. 

